


Six Times Sirius Tried to Set Lily and James Up and One Time It Worked

by mollivanders



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Gen, Marauders, Pre-Series, The One Where Sirius Sets Them Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-30
Updated: 2014-08-30
Packaged: 2018-02-15 09:03:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2223270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mollivanders/pseuds/mollivanders
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s the last week of term in third year and Sirius is bored. Bored bored bored bored <i>bored</i>. James has tried to assign him <i>work</i>, of all things, on how to become an Animagus, and since they’ve decided not to tell Remus yet, he can’t even complain to his other best friend about the work. But really. James has too much time on his hands.</p><p>And that’s when he notices that James isn’t just idly playing catch-and-release with the Snitch; he’s sneaking glances to see if Lily Evans is paying attention to him.</p><p>Suddenly, he knows <i>exactly</i> how to get James to let up with all the homework.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Six Times Sirius Tried to Set Lily and James Up and One Time It Worked

**Author's Note:**

  * For [three_things_sid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/three_things_sid/gifts).



It’s the last week of term in third year and Sirius is bored. Bored bored bored bored _bored_. James has tried to assign him _work_ , of all things, on how to become an Animagus, and since they’ve decided not to tell Remus yet, he can’t even complain to his other best friend about the work. But really. James has too much time on his hands.

And that’s when he notices that James isn’t just idly playing catch-and-release with the Snitch; he’s sneaking glances to see if Lily Evans is paying attention to him.

Suddenly, he knows _exactly_ how to get James to let up with all the homework.

+

Hogsmeade is decked out for Halloween, better than every year before it, and he’s flirting with Alice like his life depends on it, when he notices James sulking over his Butterbeer. Friends over fillies, he leaves Alice with a wink and heads over to James.

“She reject you again?” he asks and James shrugs. “She didn’t like the Exploding Snaps?”

“They _burned her eyebrows off_ ,” James hissed, looking up from his messy fringe to track Lily on the other side of The Three Broomsticks. “So, no. Not well.”

Sirius tilted back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Maybe better to let this one go.”

“I thought she’d like them,” James sulks. 

(Them, or James’ card tricks?)

“Dorcas Meadowes was asking about you,” Sirius offers. James wisely does not how Sirius came across this information, but just shrugs. “Orrr,” Sirius drawls, “you could get Lily something nice for Christmas. Like a hairbow or something.” James throws him a look that betrays just how insane he thinks Sirius is. “Or a book?” he offers as an alternative. “You spend so much time mooning over that girl, you should know better than anyone else what to get her.”

“A book,” James muses. “Charms?”

Just like James to get a girl homework. That boy has a real problem.

+

Fifth year is too wonderful – too wonderful for words.

Aside from James’ stubbornness when it comes to Lily Evans.

“Are you ever going to let this go?” Sirius asks and James shrugs. “You’ve got to have goals in life,” he says, but Sirius notices there’s something more in his friend’s tone.

He tries – and fails – to bribe Lily to go on a date with James that year.

He spends two weeks in detention for it and never tells James why.

(On the other hand, he and Lily develop a grudging respect for each other; first as friendly adversaries and later, as fellow soldiers in the war.

Everything comes back to the war.)

+

He runs away from home when he’s sixteen – wipes his hands clean of his family, if that is even possible for a Black to do – and knocks on James’ door in the middle of the night with his trunk in tow.

“Can I stay with you?” he asks, without explanation, and James lets him in without asking for any.

In the back of his mind, Sirius can’t help but think – he _owes_ him one. Even though it’s never been like that between them; even though their whole friendship is predicated on unconditional loyalty. 

Must be part of his family that even _he_ can’t wipe out.

+

“Please,” he says, following her around. “Please. Please. Please.”

He’s pretty sure he’s as annoying as James is by now. “Please. Please. Please.”

James hasn’t even _asked_ Lily out for months – it’s half way through their sixth year and by this point, it almost seems like James given up, but Sirius knows. He _knows_.

It’s a friend thing.

“Look,” Lily says, brushing her hair back. “It’s not personal, Sirius. I’ve just so busy with my Advanced Potions class, and Professor Flitwick is pushing me to apply for a Charms Patenter internship with the Ministry this summer, and there’s just no time.” She pauses. “It’s not like he’s even interested anymore. Why do you care?”

The halls are fairly empty by now, most of the students out enjoying the fresh snow or playing Quidditch, except for Lily Evans. Lily, who seems to be oblivious to the fact most obvious to Sirius.

“I’m just saying,” Sirius says. “One chance. One date. If he ever asks again.” But Lily shakes her head.

“That’s up to James,” she says, and then stares hard at him with those green eyes. He takes a step back, slightly intimidated.

(Okay, a lot intimidated.)

“But it matters that you tried,” she says.

+

That it happens without him orchestrating it is something he will never admit.

(After all. He did sort of maybe separately get them both to sign up for the Chess Club. 

It’s good to have a hobby.

Even if they’re terrible at chess.)

+

“It was _not_ the chess club!” James exclaims after Sirius finishes his best man’s toast. “You’re a dirty filthy lying dog, you know that?” and Lily thwacks him on the shoulder. “Be nice,” she orders and Sirius beams.

“It was totally the chess club,” he says, until Lily catches his eye over her champagne glass.

“It wasn’t the chess club,” she divulges, a mischievous glint in her eyes, and not for the first time, Sirius gets why James tried and tried and tried.

(But it was totally the chess club.)

+

He’s become tolerable over the years, she reflects. She has more pressure on her than usual this term, with N.E.W.T.S. and job applications and the rumors about the order that Dumbledore’s put together to fight You-Know—

“Voldemort,” James reminds her during their study session for Defense. An actual study session, with James Potter. He probably thinks it’s a date, except they actually _are_ studying.

(Aside from the fact that they’re outside in the sun and she hasn’t really been taking notes for at least ten minutes now.)

_I must not kiss James Potter, I must not kiss James Potter, I must not kiss James Potter –_

“Lily?” he asks on their way back into the castle, the great gate arch looming over them. He shuffles his feet a bit, and runs his hand through his hair, and suddenly, she knows.

He hadn’t lost interest at all.

(She should be mad, except – except, he doesn’t make her so mad these days.

Well, not like he used to.)

“Would you ever want to go for drinks in Hogsmeade?” he asks, his breath coming short in a puff of air. “If you don’t, I get it—”

A swift, sweet kiss in the late autumn sunlight, and she breaks away with a smile.

“Sure,” she says, and clutches her bag strap tight. “Anytime.”

_Finis_


End file.
